Chapter 50: The Professionalism of a Veteran Actor
Hearing this, although the Ghost Hand couldn't respond with words, it spread its five fingers and rolled twice on the ground to express its meaning.
"Muri muri muri (Impossible), dame dame dame (No no no), can't do it, can't do it, can't do it."
Yoru looked disgusted.
"Acting cute here? Don't gross me out."
Of course, he was just joking around.
The ability of Soul Manifestation, being a conceptual power based on idealism, actually shared many similarities with evil spirits.
For example:
Both his Ghost Hand and Miko's Hyakume followed a rule.
They must first be "seen" by someone—that is, manifest in front of someone—before they can inflict harm on that person.
Otherwise, they would be just like ordinary evil spirits passing through humans without interfering with each other.
According to Futaba Rio's intelligence analysis, from beginning to end, what could harm evil spirits wasn't any weapon.
But spirit mediums like Yoru and Miko themselves.
To give a simple example:
Yoru could harm an evil spirit using a silver nail. But if an ordinary person without spiritual power wielded the same nail, it would only serve to amuse the evil spirit.
Miko had once asked a question:
"Why not just use explosives to level the area where the 'Door' is located?"
Setting aside how violent this idea was, it was indeed feasible.
The premise was that the process of planting and detonating the explosives must be done personally by Yoru or Miko.
If an ordinary person detonated the explosives, even if the unfinished building was destroyed, the "Door" hidden within it would remain unaffected.
In short, just as Rio said:
This was an ability brought about by "Perception" and "Observation."
"Looks like I have to use that move."
Yoru muttered to himself. Under Hachishaku's confused gaze, he walked openly and unreservedly straight into the activity room.
"Hello, everyone."
Hearing the footsteps from the door and Yoru's greeting filled with a smile, the kidnappers inside instantly raised their guns. Over twenty dark muzzles locked onto him.
"Who are you!?"
Not just the kidnappers.
Even the kindergarten staff and children held hostage were startled by Yoru's attire.
Imagine this:
The pale golden light of twilight shone through the window and scattered on the floor.
Bathed in this light stood a mysterious figure wearing a black coat, a full-face black mask, with long black hair tied back, revealing only a pair of black eyes.
This looked exactly like a scene before a psychotic killer commits a crime!
Facing the kidnappers who looked like they were facing a formidable enemy, with fingers on triggers ready to fire at any moment, Yoru put on a very surprised look and said helplessly.
"Eh? Don't you recognize me?"
Immediately after, without even pausing for breath, Yoru rattled off a long string of names.
"It's me! Sato-kun, Kobayashi-kun, Takahashi-kun, Suzuki-kun, Ito-kun, Yamamoto-kun! You guys really have short memories for important people."
While calling out the names, he was also observing the kidnappers' reactions.
When he mentioned the three surnames Sato, Takahashi, and Yamamoto, three kidnappers clearly froze for a moment, confusion appearing in their eyes.
"Oh my, you really don't remember?"
Facing the dark gun muzzles, Yoru showed no fear. With a smile in his voice, he walked up to one of them and greeted him in a friendly tone.
"Eh, Yamamoto-kun, we even drank together last time, remember? What's-his-name was there too. We drank so happily and even agreed to drink together again next time."
The kidnapper named Yamamoto, hearing Yoru's confident tone, also showed hesitation on his face and lowered his gun slightly.
"Dr... Drinking? Did that happen?"
"Eh, you really forgot? Then I'm going to spill the embarrassing things you did when you got drunk last time."
"No, no, no, please don't."
At this point, the kidnapper named Yamamoto had completely fallen for the trap.
The people of Sakura Prefecture were still too naive.
As an Isekai traveler with two lifetimes of experience, Yoru naturally had to give them a little fraud shock.
Classic scam routine:
"Hey, hey, it's me. Don't you recognize my voice?"
"Yes, yes, yes, I'm that guy. I have an urgent matter now and need you to transfer some money."
Even the surnames he called out were carefully chosen—they were among the most common surnames in Sakura Prefecture.
Unless his luck was outrageously bad, among so many kidnappers, there had to be some with these names.
Yoru didn't need to say anything more.
Kidnapper Mr. Yamamoto had already started recalling embarrassing things he did when drunk and automatically linked "someone" present at that time with Yoru in front of him.
"Oh, oh, aren't you that guy? Why are you here today?"
Yoru revealed a mysterious smile and beckoned to the kidnappers.
"Come closer. I have important news to tell you."
Of course, due to the full-face mask, others couldn't see his expression.
But!
Just because they couldn't see it, could he slack off!?
Absolutely not!
This was the professional ethics of a veteran actor!
Hearing his tone, and seeing that one of their companions seemed to know him, the kidnappers involuntarily leaned in, wanting to hear what Yoru had to say.
Yoru smiled, glanced at the kidnappers surrounding him, and whispered.
"Kill them all. Leave no one alive."
The moment his voice fell, before the kidnappers could react, the figure of a tall woman in white was reflected in their pupils.
And a Pale Ghost Hand floating above their heads like the Sword of Damocles.
Hachishaku's ink-black, silky long hair instantly became as hard as needles. Her dignified and beautiful face now revealed her true visage as an evil ghost.
With just a few strands of hair extending out, she effortlessly pierced the throats of seven kidnappers.
The massive Pale Ghost Hand pressed its five fingers down like a human crushing ants. Accompanied by the tooth-aching sound of bones shattering, five kidnappers were crushed into meat paste directly from the top of their heads.
Humans are fragile creatures.
Even though they were manipulated and lured by evil spirits, it didn't mean they possessed the power of evil spirits.
The moment the condition of "Seeing" was met, the kidnappers actually gained the ability to harm the Pale Ghost Hand and Hachishaku.
The key was...
Watching their companions, who were standing just a second ago, turn into bloody pulp sticking to the ground in less than a second... they were completely stupefied with terror.
Yoru certainly wouldn't miss such an opportunity.
Moving like a ghost, he flashed in front of a kidnapper, clenched his right hand into a fist, and punched the opponent's Adam's apple.
With a crisp cracking sound, the kidnapper fell straight to the ground, the light of life fading from his eyes.
"Although I am a professional exorcist."
"I am also very good at killing people."